This website is designed to be a useful tool for keepers of captive okapi, Okapai johnstoni, to aid in the design of an effective and practical captive diet.
![Picture](/uploads/2/6/9/7/26977957/466612984.jpg?276)
The okapi is endemic to the tropical forests of central and north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (ZSL 2013a). This iconic species is a close relative of the giraffe (ZSL 2013a). While okapi are currently classified as Near Threatened (IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group 2008), more recent research suggests that numbers of wild okapi are declining, and so re-classification may be necessary (ZSL 2013a). Okapi were first held in captivity in the UK at Bristol Zoo in 1961, with the first calf born at Bristol Zoo in 1963 (Bristol Zoo Gardens 2013).
The tabs in the menu on the left-hand side of this page can be used to navigate around the site, and contain detailed information on okapi digestive physiology and metabolism, the design and implementation of a captive diet, and links to other relevant sites.
The tabs in the menu on the left-hand side of this page can be used to navigate around the site, and contain detailed information on okapi digestive physiology and metabolism, the design and implementation of a captive diet, and links to other relevant sites.